Umpire Interference

[Forest Ump]

Gentlemen:

I had the toughest call I have ever had to make today (tounge in cheek). I called interference on the umpire.



Runner on third, batter hit the ball to F4, F4 throws the ball to F3 for the out. Meanwhile R3 runs home and runs into the umpire who is standing too near the line. R3 is called out on the tag at the plate. I called time. I put R3 back on 3rd. I then gave the umpire a royal a** chewing.

BTW. This was 9-10 year old house league mustangs and I was the only umpire

Happy Cinco de Mayo.

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by Forest Ump

Gentlemen:

I had the toughest call I have ever had to make today (tounge in cheek). I called interference on the umpire.



Runner on third, batter hit the ball to F4, F4 throws the ball to F3 for the out. Meanwhile R3 runs home and runs into the umpire who is standing too near the line. R3 is called out on the tag at the plate. I called time. I put R3 back on 3rd. I then gave the umpire a royal a** chewing.

BTW. This was 9-10 year old house league mustangs and I was the only umpire

Happy Cinco de Mayo.

You realize, of course, that this isn't umpire interference.

[Forest Ump]

Garth I know, but the coach was so happy to get the out nullified and his kid back on third that I just went with it.

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by Forest Ump

Garth I know, but the coach was so happy to get the out nullified and his kid back on third that I just went with it.

Allow me to play the part of the Grinch.

I don't do that level of ball, but I believe that this is how myths get started. The coach, parents and kids now "know" that if a player runs into an umpire it's interference.

This is similar to the butterfly theory. The energy of this well meaning misapplication of a rule will, one day, turn into a sh!t storm where a kid is called out, the umpire is not believed and a coach gets ejected.

[kylejt]

You got lucky the offensive manager didn't know the rules, and protested your call.

[Forest Ump]

Garth, I hear what you are saying but I doubt that's going to happen with this group. They were about the mellowest coaches I have ever dealt with. Parents too. Which was actually quite a relief. Last week I almost called the police because a parent was drunk and yelling obscenities. But that's another story. It was the offensive coach that asked me to put him back on third. It wasn't going to change the game. Heck the game was over in 75 minutes.

Now guys don't go flaming me on this one. I thought it was kind of funny so I put it out here. Shame on me for drinking tequila on Cinco de Mayo and posting.

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by Forest Ump

Garth, I hear what you are saying but I doubt that's going to happen with this group. They were about the mellowest coaches I have ever dealt with. Parents too. Which was actually quite a relief. Last week I almost called the police because a parent was drunk and yelling obscenities. But that's another story. It was the offensive coach that asked me to put him back on third. It wasn't going to change the game. Heck the game was over in 75 minutes.

Now guys don't go flaming me on this one. I thought it was kind of funny so I put it out here. Shame on me for drinking tequila on Cinco de Mayo and posting.

Nobody's flaming you. You made a mistake and misapplied a rule and you made another mistake in thinking it didn't matter.

It doesn't matter how mellow these coaches were today. Their mood today has nothing to do with what they "learned" about umpire interference. It's what mood they're in when an umpire enforces a similar situation correctly.

If I were you, I wouldn't work with an umpire who can't get out of the way of a 9 year old. And he should think twice about working with an umpire who misapplies the rules.

And, yeah, I know you worked alone.

[mcrowder]

Originally Posted by Forest Ump

Garth, I hear what you are saying but I doubt that's going to happen with this group. They were about the mellowest coaches I have ever dealt with. Parents too. Which was actually quite a relief. Last week I almost called the police because a parent was drunk and yelling obscenities. But that's another story. It was the offensive coach that asked me to put him back on third. It wasn't going to change the game. Heck the game was over in 75 minutes.

Now guys don't go flaming me on this one. I thought it was kind of funny so I put it out here. Shame on me for drinking tequila on Cinco de Mayo and posting.

Not flaming you ... but you do need to be aware that lax understanding of rules by coaches and parents coupled with mellow reactions to an umpire not knowing the rules is NOT a good reason for you to be making up rules out there.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by kylejt

You got lucky the offensive manager didn't know the rules, and protested your call.

It sounds like the offense got a break, so it would be the defensive manager who would have a protest.

In the play at had, and given the level and apparent "mellowness" of the coaches, Forest could have apologized, explained the rule, explained that he messed up, learned from it, ...

What he shouldn't have done is put the runner back at third.

[kylejt]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

It sounds like the offense got a break, so it would be the defensive manager who would have a protest.

Right you are Bob.

[mcrowder]

Originally Posted by Forest Ump

Garth I know, but the coach was so happy to get the out nullified and his kid back on third that I just went with it.

Of course he was happy ... you cheated in his favor! Why wasn't the OTHER coach chewing you out?

[voiceoflg]

Originally Posted by Forest Ump

Gentlemen:

I had the toughest call I have ever had to make today (tounge in cheek). I called interference on the umpire.



Runner on third, batter hit the ball to F4, F4 throws the ball to F3 for the out. Meanwhile R3 runs home and runs into the umpire who is standing too near the line. R3 is called out on the tag at the plate. I called time. I put R3 back on 3rd. I then gave the umpire a royal a** chewing.

BTW. This was 9-10 year old house league mustangs and I was the only umpire

Happy Cinco de Mayo.

Now when I broadcast a HS playoff series this weekend, I'll know what the rule is should this situation occur. Thanks.

[BigTex]

Originally Posted by Forest Ump

Gentlemen:

I had the toughest call I have ever had to make today (tounge in cheek). I called interference on the umpire.



Runner on third, batter hit the ball to F4, F4 throws the ball to F3 for the out. Meanwhile R3 runs home and runs into the umpire who is standing too near the line. R3 is called out on the tag at the plate. I called time. I put R3 back on 3rd. I then gave the umpire a royal a** chewing.

BTW. This was 9-10 year old house league mustangs and I was the only umpire

Happy Cinco de Mayo.

Please explain how you chewed your own a$$.

[RPatrino]

That occurs when trying to recover from severe cranio-rectal immersion.

[nickrego]

2 years ago...FED Vasity...I have the bases;

1 out, R1, R3.

BR hits into a possible double play. I call the first out at 2nd. As the play is developing at 1st, my partner steps in to wipe the plate, thinking it is going to be an automatic out at 1st.

BR is safe at 1st on a pulled foot, R3 crashes into the plate umpire. They both go down in a tangled mess. R3 has not touched the plate, F3 throws the ball to the catcher, who tags R3. Plate umpire sees the tag, and calls the runner out from the ground.

Yep, the runner was out, but in my heart, I wanted to nullify the out, and give him home and the run.

It took almost 20 min. to get the game started again. I didn't toss anyone, even though things were said that would normally get someone tossed. Somehow, my hard a$$ partner didn't toss anyone either.

One the way back to the car after the game, my partner blamed me for not making the Bang-Bang call at 1st. In my heart, I kicked him in the B@lls and went home. (I didn't of course)